A Homeowner's Guide to Hiring a Qualified Tile Installer

If you're having porcelain tile installed and you're looking for confirmation or validation that the project will be completed correctly, where do you go?

The tile industry takes seriously its standard-setting role and its commitment to encouraging and supporting installer skill and knowledge. That's why the Tile Council of North America (TCNA), the National Tile Contractors Association (NTCA), the Ceramic Tile Distributors Association (CTDA) among others and the Ceramic Tile Education Foundation (CTEF) exist:

To provide guidelines, education and certification for correctly installing porcelain tile, always refer to these organizations for guidance. 

Tile is beautiful, versatile, easily maintained, and it has a rich history. It is also a practical product which must be installed correctly.

It's helpful to know where to find installation resources so you can comprehensively evaluate your installer's skill and knowledge before he or she is hired to complete your dream installation.

ANSI and TCNA Handbook

Here are the primary tile industry standards, methods and guidelines used for the proper installation of ceramic, porcelain, glass, and stone tiles.

• American National Standards Institute (ANSI) A108 and A118 - American National Specifications for the Installation of Ceramic Tile - Material and Installation Standards

• ANSI A137.1 - American National Standard Specifications for Manufacturing Ceramic Tile

• Tile Council of North America (TCNA) Handbook for Ceramic, Glass, and Stone Tile Installation

These standards and guidelines are extensive in that they cover many types of installations using proven best practices, methods, techniques and materials recommended for a variety of structures and substructures. 

For example, ANSI A108 defines the acceptable lippage (a condition where the edge of a tile is higher than that of an adjacent tile, giving the finished surface an uneven appearance) for installed Pressed Floor and Porcelain Tile that has been tested and passed the required minimum standards for ceramic tile (found in ANSI A137.1) as follows:

• All sizes of Pressed Floor and Porcelain Tiles with grout joint widths of 1/16” wide to less than 1/4” wide:  Allowable lippage is 1/32”.

• All sizes of Pressed Floor and Porcelain Tiles with grout joint widths of 1/4” wide or greater:  Allowable lippage is 1/16”.

For reference:  1/32” is roughly the thickness of a credit card.  1/16” is roughly the thickness of one penny. 

NTCA Reference Manual

The National Tile Contractors Association produces the NTCA Reference Manual. It's an invaluable tool for the tile industry and a well-respected companion document to the TCNA Handbook for Ceramic, Glass and Stone Tile Installation and ANSI standards. 

The Reference Manual is a comprehensive blend of the knowledge, experience, research, and development of the NTCA Technical Committee members, which includes ceramic tile contractors, consultants, distributors, manufacturers and others associated with the tile industry.

It's updated annually and includes close to 300 pages of information covering everything from substrate preparation to finished grout. 

The purpose of the Reference Manual is to identify recurring tile and stone installation challenges, recognize potential problems, and gain consensus from industry experts on workable solutions to these challenges. 

 >> See NTCA Reference Manual: An Invaluable Tool for the Tile Industry

How to Use this information?

For quality-oriented tile contractors, these standards will be a guide for all of their ceramic tile installations. They are all available for purchase by the consumer, whether they be residential or commercial, and will provide direction relating to the best method available.

If you are an owner considering a project that includes tile, we strongly encourage you to interview and hire a qualified tile contractor who employs industry-recognized mechanics. Installers of this caliber own, understand, and use the tile industry standards listed above.  

Chapter 5: Common Tile Installation Problems

The most common sources of tile problems have to do with misunderstandings in expectations between the homeowner and the installer. They include the following: 

1. Warpage

Warpage is particularly relevant with rectangular tile, aka planks. Today’s popular larger tile sizes can be 6” x 36”, 24" x 48" or larger and include an industry standard for an allowable amount of warpage (where the center of the tile is higher than the edges or ends). A qualified tile installer will know how to compensate for this inherent warpage, so any lippage is within this tile industry accepted tolerance.

>> See Do You Have Enough Mortar to Accommodate Most Tile Warpage?

2. Color/Texture Variation vs. Expectation

Shade variation can and does occur with ceramic and porcelain tiles. It can also happen as a result of new tile trends where designs purposely exhibit substantial variation in color and texture from tile to tile. 

Be aware of this variation and view samples from current inventory when possible.

a. Research and educate yourself about shade variation

Consumers of tile products need to understand what shade variation is and how it can affect a tile installation.  On the commercial side, this research many times is done by the architect or specifier.  On the residential side, consumers, unless working with a designer, need to investigate tile shading which can be very subtle, while others vary widely.

b. Refer to a tile shade variation chart

Oftentimes, a visual on shade variation is worth a thousand words. Look for it and refer to it when making selection decisions.

Most sample boards or tile literature now list a range of shade, tone, texture and color as found in the TCNA Handbook and similarly in the ANSI A137.1 Specifications for Ceramic Tile. 

This chart, as shown in Table 3 below, ranges from V0 (zero) which exhibits no shade range detectable by the average eye to the potentially extremely varied color and tone of a V4. 

c. Be cautious of tile selections made from an image

Be especially cautious of making a tile selection from a color photo or image online. While being a great way to save time, there is nothing like seeing, touching, experiencing, and knowing all about the selection before the tile is ordered. 

Additionally, a computer or tablet monitor may not be color perfect. There's no recourse once the tile is installed, except to remove it and start over.

d. Encourage customers to look at several pieces of tile

When consumers select tile without the assistance of a knowledgeable installer or salesperson to guide and counsel them on how the end result might look, problems can develop.

That is particularly true if the tile selection is based on a single piece of tile or from a small cut piece on a sample board. One single piece of tile cannot adequately represent the overall effect of a roomful of that tile installed. You can imagine how painful the results can be!

e. Insist on a mockup!

The safest way to eliminate surprises is for the installer to provide customers with a mounted and grouted panel that shows the tile shade variation, pattern layout (if the job calls for it), the size and color of the grout joint along with the sheen and texture of the color-coordinating sealant joints before the job begins. 

When this is approved, the customer should sign and date the back of the mockup which offers proof that the entire spectrum of the tile job has their approval.

Installers may say that following this procedure will cost additional time and money, which it does, but this cost is minimal when compared to the cost of a possible tear out and replacement.  Finding and fulfilling customers’ tile desires in advance will save a lot of headaches and money.

3. Large Format Tile

Tile sizes are increasing. As a result, tile installers must know how to accommodate inherent warpage associated with large format tile, as well as how to provide a surface that will allow these products to be installed without lippage or at least within the allowable tolerances provided in the ANSI documents.

>> See Is Your Floor or Wall Flat Enough for Large Format Tile?

4. Grout Joint Size

Depending on the type of tile, the pattern and the offset, the grout joint size may vary. So, what you want vs. what tile industry standards will allow, specifically ANSI A108.02 Section 4.3.8 regarding grout joint size, in relation to the tile size, dimensional precision, and offset pattern recommend, may not be possible (or desirable). 

5. Visual Tile Defects

When tile is made, it goes through a comprehensive grading process to ensure that the end user is receiving the best quality product. 

However, occasionally a blemished or defective tile may get through this process.  Most tile manufacturers encourage installers to be the final inspector of tile quality as the tile is being set.  Commonly, the box will provide messages to the installer such as:

“Tile setters: Check tile before setting.  Claims cannot be accepted after installation”

 

Chapter 6: A Solution to These Problems: Mockups

For all of these situations, a mockup will anticipate the issue.

That's why it's critical to work with a Certified Tile Installer. Qualified labor will understand the importance of addressing these questions up front and ensuring that your expectations for the project are met.  A mockup costs much less than ripping out an unacceptable job and redoing it, not to mention the costs associated with a lawsuit.

What is a Mockup?

Wikipedia defines a mockup as follows:

"In manufacturing and design, a mockup, or mock-up, is a scale of full-size model of a design or device, used for teaching, demonstration, design evaluation, promotion, and other purposes. Mock-ups are used by designers mainly to acquire feedback from users.

Mock-ups address the idea captured in a popular engineering one-liner: You can fix it now on the drafting board with an eraser or you can fix it later, on the construction site with a sledge hammer."

Mockups for Installing Tile Help Gain Owner and Specifier Approvals

How true that last sentence is, especially in today's fast-track world of construction. It's equally true for installing tile.

In the tile world, mockups should be used as a tool by the tile contractor to obtain the approval of the owner and possibly also the architect, designer and general contractor - all important specifier constituents for the end project.

Establishing how the finished tile installation will appear before the work begins is a wise choice which can save time and money.

Mockups Demonstrate Exactly What to Expect from a Tile Installation

Ultimately, the use of a mockup is a really good idea that can demonstrate to the end user, who may have difficulty visualizing the final finish, exactly what to expect.

The mockup shows the range of color and/or texture within the tile, the pattern or offset (if applicable), the size, texture and color of the grout joint, the appearance of the sealant joints, and any accessory items that will be used on the project. This way there are no surprises, unhappy customers or unfulfilled expectations upon completion of the project.

One special note on sealant joints –

Always educate yourself on the characteristics and appearance of sealant joints. Sealant joints, which are mandatory in all tile installations, will complement or coordinate with the grout color.  Since the 100% silicone sealant is a different product and texture from the grout, using the word matching is not appropriate.

Finally, be certain to obtain the signatures of all interested persons including, the owner, architect, designer, decorator, and general contractor.  

>> See Thin Tile Installation Expertise Creates Clubhouse Bar & Lounge where CTI Dan Welch describes how important detailed drawings were for executing the project correctly.

Chapter 7: How to Deal with Major Installation Problems 

And then there's pure tile installation incompetence which leads to terrible horror stories.  These horror stories are most times created by one of three causes:

• The “tile placer” (we can’t call him or her a tile installer due to almost complete lack of talent and knowledge) was not a Certified Tile Installer (CTI) through the Ceramic Tile Education Foundation (CTEF) and therefore not considered Qualified Labor,
• The job specifications did not clearly outline the scope of work including the installation methods, or
• The end user went with the lowest bid which could not provide the required quality or meet the finished installation expectations. 

Chapter 8: The Problem of Efflorescence aka that Ugly White Powder on Your Tile

We've all seen it: that really ugly white powder that grows on cement grout and also tile, stone, brick and concrete, particularly when it's installed someplace with moisture (i.e., in a basement or outdoors). That white residue is called efflorescence.

What Causes Efflorescence?

Efflorescence for Inspectors explains that,

"Efflorescence (which means "to flower out" in French) is the dissolved salts deposited on the surface of a porous material (such as concrete or brick) that are visible after the evaporation of the water in which it was transported."

You might hear it referred to as "new building bloom" or even "whiskers."

According to the Portland Cement Association Trowel Tips information sheet of Efflorescence (downloadable PDF),

" A combination of three common circumstances creates efflorescence:

• soluble compounds (i.e., salts) in the masonry or adjoining materials 
• moisture to pick up the compounds and carry them to the surface 
• evaporation or hydrostatic pressure that causes the solution to move

If any one of these conditions is eliminated, efflorescence will not occur."

Efflorescence, then, happens. A professional tile installer can anticipate such situations to prevent it from occurring.

Figuring Out Why Efflorescence Happens

Tile installers are often called on to look at challenging installation opportunities and use their expertise to solve problems when they occur. Finding the solution can be difficult, and sometimes we scratch our heads and say, “Why is it doing that?”

Many times, installers are asked to install exterior tile on a job that appears to be elementary. Unfortunately, some of them develop issues at a later date. 

Take for instance a job calling for a natural stone to be installed on the exterior wall of a new retail store which has a roof above it.

The plans call for the stone tile to be installed over a waterproofing membrane coating the cementitious backer board on steel studs.  It sounds routine and it should function well; which it did in this case, for about a year.

Sometimes Efflorescence Isn't the Fault of the Tile Installation or the Installer

As time passed, the owner began to see a white powdery substance growing on the grout joints. Immediately the call goes out, “There is something wrong with the grout.” 

Upon investigation, the grout had not failed, but a naturally occurring mineral salt which is present in all Portland cement products (thin set mortars and cement grouts) had found its way to the surface.  This salt deposit is called efflorescence. 

Normally, these residues can be washed away with a very mild acid solution and a bristle brush while being careful not to harm the stone (always test first to be certain the acid will not alter the existing finish).  It this case it worked… for a little while.  Continued scrubbing removed the salts, but it kept coming back.  What was the cause?

For efflorescence to occur on the surface, water must be present to carry the minerals to the surface, evaporate and let the salts behind. 

You may say, “It was the rain water going through the grout joints.” 

The rain could have been the culprit, but not in this case.  Remember, there was a roof over the tile. 

The problem was actually caused by the roofer who failed to properly install the metal cap flashing on the parapet wall above the roof.  The water went through the defective flashing, down through the thin set mortar to the lower portion of the wall and blossomed on the grout joints.

Once the tile installer (now a forensic specialist) found the problem, the roofer made the necessary repairs, the tile installer washed away the salt deposits and magically the efflorescence disappeared. 

Understanding Efflorescence

In this example, defective roof flashing led to excessive moisture, which in turn caused that ugly white powder on the grout joints and tile.

In another situation, the problem could be the result of moisture from the soil under a basement floor or wall and might require a vapor migration membrane instead.

The important point is to find the source of the problem and solve it, so efflorescence doesn't reoccur. This is what identifies a true tile installation professional.